


A Mythical Reality

by WhirlwindWolf94



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adam is alive and well, Alternate Universe, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Dark Elves, Elves, Fairies, Gay Keith (Voltron), Light Elves, M/M, Multi, Mythology References, Prompt Fic, Shapeshifters - Freeform, Skinwalker, Voltron, Will Be Slow To Update, Witches, i don't even know what else to tag, klance, maybe eventual smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-26 13:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18283217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhirlwindWolf94/pseuds/WhirlwindWolf94
Summary: What would happen if one of the alternate universes in VLD was kind of like Dragon Age meets God of War meets Supernatural? I have no idea, I just found a prompt on Pinterest that I immediately latched onto. And, since I am total Klance trash, this will be an eventual Klance fic. Magical quests, lots of bonding, and just me trying to tie the Voltron universe into the prompt I really liked. Enjoy and let me know what you think!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt I found was "The only hope the kingdom has rests with a beautiful witch, a very loud princess, a clumsy theif, and a fairy that likes to set things on fire." I added to it accordingly:
> 
> Beautiful witch (Dark elf/Skinwalker)= Keith  
> Very loud princess (Light elf)= Allura  
> Clumsy thief (Shapeshifter) = Lance  
> Pyromaniac (Fairy) = Pidge  
> Knight (Human)= Shiro  
> Bard (Human[pan pipe flute])= Hunk  
> Dark elf (Spy [Marmora]) = Krolia  
> Skinwalker = Papa (Liam) Kogane
> 
> And don't ask why I chose the name "Liam" for Keith's dad. I just liked the name and it's one of the most popular names for boys in Texas. Had to honor the Texan Papa.

 

 

A Voltron Myth!AU Fanfic

 

 

 

 

**Chapter 1**

  
**_Lance_ **

  
I have to say, I've done pretty well for myself. As a shapeshifting thief by nature, being employed by the Crown is a major step-up. It probably helped that my best buddy was the court music-maker-thingy. . . Think he calls himself a bard? I dunno, it's a nice gig nonetheless. Helped me get my family off the streets, anyway. But I think the good times have come to an end.

  
You see, around ten-thousand years ago, the five kingdoms; Dalterion, Nalquod, Rygnirath, Altea, and Daibazaal; all lived in perfect harmony and whatnot. Until one of them, Daibazaal, decided they wanted more power. There's a lot more to it than that, but I really don't know how to go about explaining it. Something about the king, Zarkon, going batshit over some newfound energy source and renaming his people the "Galra" (I guess he thought being dark elves wasn't scary enough in and of itself). Anyway, war raged on and the other kingdoms fell one by one. Leaving only Altea and Daibazaal standing. King Alfor used every bit of his magic to create a sort of ward around the borders of his kingdom, and the land from the adjoining former kingdoms he managed to reclaim, rendering him castle bound.

  
Now, since he couldn't leave the Castle of Lions, King Alfor sent his best knight and his squadron to infiltrate a Galra encampment on the border. Together with his commanders, father and son duo Sam and Matt Holt, Sir Shiro led his squad into the camp. That was over a year ago. Shiro managed to escape, but he was hurt bad. His hair had gone snow-white and he had a pretty nasty scar across the bridge of his nose. Not only that, but he had lost his right arm in the struggle. Apparently, Sam and Matt had used some kind of once-a-year fairy spell thing to create an opening for Shiro to escape. They were still prisoners.

  
Anyway, with Shiro out of commission, King Alfor had to round up a new group of fighters. And guess who was one of his first recommendations? Yours truly. Great. The best buddy I mentioned earlier was on the team, too though, so I can't complain too much. Along with Sam's daughter/ Matt's little sister, Katie. Though if you actually called her that, she'd set your hair on fire. So we call her Pidge instead. The king's daughter was also joining the fight. Princess Allura is hands-down the most beautiful girl I've ever met. She's smart, strong, wickedly witty, and an altogether great friend. Too bad she keeps shooting me down, though. About the only "flaw" (and I'm using that word very lightly) about her is the fact that she is loud. She will not hold back when she's talking about something she believes in or is passionate about. She's very aggressive for a light elf. I've started carrying around earplugs. Currently, she was impatiently waiting for her father to send us out.

  
"You are still short one companion, Allura, be patient." the King said for the third time in as many minutes.

  
"Well, what's taking so long?" Allura asked, crossing her arms.

  
"Trust me, he'll be here. It's just hard to track him down when he doesn't want to be found." Shiro said from his seat in the corner.

  
Yeah, the knight wouldn't hear of staying in the castle's infirmary. Instead opting to let his healer partner, Adam, tend to his injuries in the throne room. He's really a stubborn old man. But apparently the guy we're waiting on is a friend of his. More of an adopted little brother, really, from the way he goes on about him. Well, if he was so great, why wasn't he here already?! Seriously, there's only so many times one can lose a game of cards to a pint-sized fairy kid and still be entertained.

  
"All in favor of forgetting this guy and heading out if he's not here in the next two minutes say 'aye!'" I call, raising my hand.

  
"Aye!" Pidge and Allura call out, the former flopping onto her back on the floor.

  
"C'mon, guys, give Keith a chance. It was Keith, right, Sir Shiro?" Hunk asked, playing devil's advocate as always.

  
"I don't recall giving you permission to spread my name around, Shiro."

  
We all jumped at the voice echoing through the room. I looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. There was nothing. Nothing it could have come from anywhere. Pidge, Allura, and Hunk were looking around just as alarmed as I was. Allura was readying her bow and Pidge was holding a fireball. I flexed my hands until I felt my nails shift into claws and readied for a sneak attack. Then I felt a wisp of air, like someone was blowing on my neck. I yelped and swung out, catching nothing but empty air. We heard a chuckle and I couldn't tell if what I felt down my spine were chills of shivers. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't an attractive sound.

  
"Keith, quit playing around. Not a very good first impression. And you're in the throne room in front of the king. Be polite at least." Adam called, adjusting his glasses.

  
"Yeah, yeah. Alright."

  
Out of nowhere, a boy was standing in front of us. He was only a little shorter than me, a bit thinner, too. But I could feel his strength. Something was telling me I didn't want to mess with him. He was wearing a floor-length hooded cloak that covered him from head to toe.

  
"Cloak, Keith. You're not gonna scare anyone." Shiro said, walking over to us.

  
"You sure? This one seems skittish." this Keith guy said, pointing at me.

  
"Hey! How would you react if something invisible blew onto your neck?!" I yelled, my face and ears heating up. He chuckled again.

  
"It's fine, Keith. I promise they won't mind." Shiro assured, patting Keith on the shoulder.

  
With a sigh, Keith unfastened his cloak and threw it to Adam. Wow. His outfit was simple; red tunic with black pants. He was wearing what looked like dragonhide boots and fingerless gloves, along with a belt holding a book on his right hip and a pouch on the left. A witch, huh? But what caught my attention was his face. He had a pale, angular face with large, expressive eyes. The eyes themselves were a dark purple. Like the sky at the earliest hour of dawn. A very unusual color for any species. His face was framed by a shaggy black mullet, creating a contrast that made his face almost glow. I'd be lying again if I said he wasn't hot. Poor boy looked nervous now, though, being exposed in a room full of strangers. I don't realize I'm staring until he shifts a bit closer to Shiro and Adam and breaks eye contact.

  
"See? Now was that so hard?" I asked, trying to keep my ears from going any redder.

  
He huffed a little and turned toward the king. In one motion, he knelt down and formally introduced himself.

  
"Your Majesty, King Alfor, I am Keith Kogane of the Great Expanse. At your service, My King."

  
Wow. How many times did he practice that one? He just stayed there, frozen in place, until Alfor chuckled.

  
"Rise, my friend. There is no need to be so formal. Any brother of Shiro's is a friend of mine. Did you say your surname was Kogane?" Alfor asked once Keith stood back up.

  
"Yes, sir."

  
"As in Liam Kogane?"

  
". . . Yes, sir. He was my father."

  
"Woah, woah, woah, hold up! Liam Kogane, the skinwalker who led the march on the Mighty River and secured Altea's hold over the basin and drove the Galra forces off with their tails between their legs, was your father?! The guy was a legend! Why have we not heard of you before?!" Pidge ranted, popping up beside Keith with stars in her eyes.

  
"H-he was just Dad to me. . ." Keith muttered, taking a step back from the crazy fairy.

  
"Yeah, but he was a hero, too. He risked life and limb to protect not only citizens of Altea, but to free people formerly of the other kingdoms as well. He was amazing!" Hunk gushed, gently guiding Pidge away from the poor guy.

  
"Yes, and he saved countless lives from the Galra attacks. Often taking on a score of soldiers single-handed! He was truly a master of his abilities. You must be proud to be his son?" Allura chimed in, gripping her bow in excitement.

  
"I know. I am. But he was just Dad to me."

  
Okay, that's it. Keith was looking more and more uncomfortable by the second. He was putting up a pretty good front, but I could sense his discomfort. Heck, they were bringing up his dead dad! Has anyone in here heard of tact?! I put myself between him and the others.

  
"Alright, everyone! We all know about Liam Kogane and his heroics. But Keith isn't Liam. I'm sure he's just as impressive, but how about we forget about his bloodline? Start him out with a clean slate to carve whatever he wants on it. He's his own person, after all, and it's not fair to expect him to be just like his old man right off the bat. That's way too much pressure to put on one guy's shoulders." I said, hands on my hips, "Now, let's just get our mission from the king and get this adventure started, shall we?"

  
"Wow, Lance, that was actually pretty smart." Pidge said, her surprise exaggerated as she adjusted her glasses.

  
The others laughed at the face I made as they got back into position. Before I could join them, I felt a light pat on my shoulder and see Keith beside me.

  
"Thank you." he whispered, giving me a little smile before taking his place beside Hunk.

  
Boy, if you don't. . . Damn, my ears were heating up again. Hopefully it didn't show too much as I joined the others.

  
This is going to be a long mission.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is where my story diverts from the canon. I don't think I could recount the whole of the Voltron timeline with a twist without going insane, so I'm cutting out the middle man of the paladins swapping places. I'm keeping their colors, but there you go. I also like the fanon theory that Keith is lactose intolerant. Don't know why. Maybe because I am, too, and love dairy. Eh. Oh, and Adam is alive. Because Shiro deserves happiness. That is all.

**Chapter 2**

  
**_Lance_ **

  
"For the last time, Takashi, you are not going with them!" Adam shouted, snatching the sword from Shiro's hip.

  
It's been two hours since we got the details of our mission from the king. We were to travel all across the land to search for the five guardian spirits. In the old days, the leaders of the five kingdoms each harnessed one of the spirits, ultimately forming the legendary protector spirit, Voltron. But once Zarkon went AWOL, the spirits scattered, leaving the land defenseless. So we had to round them up again. And Shiro was dead-set on going with us. But Adam wasn't having it.

  
"Adam, this is important! I need to go!" Shiro shouted back, trying to grab his sword from his partner's hands.

  
"Takashi, we almost lost you once, we are not going through that again. Besides, you're barely healed and you're down an arm! You are staying here!"

  
"But-" Keith cut him off.

  
"Shiro. I know you want to help as much as you can, but Adam's right. The best thing you can do to help us right now is to rest up and regain your strength. Let Adam help you." he said, gripping Shiro's shoulder.

  
Man, I bet that pleading puppy-dog face could make even Zarkon melt. Shiro sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He knew they were right, I know he did, but he didn't like it.

  
"Don't worry, Shiro! I made this a little while ago. I was hoping I'd finish it before dad and Matt went out, but it should come in just as handy now." Pidge said, handing Shiro a large crystal.

  
It was kind of diamond-shaped and pitch black with silver swirly bits floating around inside.

  
"A communication crystal? But don't these require really advanced magic? How. . . Never mind, you're Sam's daughter, it's a given that you'd be advanced. But it still needs a lot of residual magic energy." Shiro said, looking the crystal over.

  
"Well, lucky for us, we're traveling with a Light elf, a fairy, and a witch. Our combined residual energy should be way more than enough to power it. And, of not, I'm sure Keith could find a spell in that book to boost it. Right, Keith?" Pidge asked, eyeing the book.

  
"Definitely. If we need advice or help, we'll contact you straight away. There's no need for you to worry. Just concentrate on getting better." Keith said, giving Shiro a firm pat on the back.

  
With another sigh, Shiro backed down. He looked exhausted as Adam got him to sit on a nearby bench. We were just waiting now for our transportation. A huge covered wagon would be our home for the length of the journey, driven by Allura's godfather. Coran was an interesting man, to say the very least. Zany, random, and very out of touch with today's youth, Coran was the picture of everyone's favorite uncle. He was the king's best friend and the only one he trusted with his daughter's life. At least we won't be bored on the journey.

  
"Did everyone pack food? I packed an extra bag of ingredients just in case, but I want to make sure nobody goes hungry." Hunk called, hoisting his three rucksacks onto his back.

  
"Don't worry, Hunk, we're set. And if we somehow run out of food halfway through, I'm sure Keith wouldn't mind giving up his share." I said, winking at Keith to let him know I was joking.

  
"Sure. I don't eat a lot anyway." Keith replied, shrugging.

  
"Wha- Keith! That was a joke! We're not gonna take food from each other!"

  
He did his "I don't understand" face and tilted his head like a puppy. Man, this guy is gonna kill me! Shiro chuckled and shook his head, apparently used to his little brother's antics. But we'd have to do something about his cluelessness or I was gonna go crazy. Hopefully some time on the road will help. Ah, speaking of which.

  
"Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe, at your service, Princess!" the mustachioed man cried, standing in the seat of the wagon and waving to Allura.

  
"Coran! Get down from there before you concuss yourself again!" Allura laughed, running up to the wagon.

  
"Nonsense, Princess! Nothing can stop the mighty Coran when he has a mission to complete! Besides, I've buckled my feet to the seat as a precaution."

  
With Adam's help, we got the wagon fully loaded with everything we would need. It was going to be a long trip, so the king was making sure we wouldn't have to worry about much by way of food and supplies. The wagon itself was more like a mobile house, really. Enchanted to be bigger on the inside than the outside. I didn't really understand how it worked, but it really was a miniature castle on the inside. We wouldn't have to share rooms, at least. It was filled with everything we might need. There were runes carved all over the thing for protection as well as a mobility rune on each wheel. Meaning the wagon would move on it's own so we wouldn't burden the poor horses with hauling a house around all over. After another half-hour, we were ready to move out. Before I headed in, I caught wind of Keith's farewell to Shiro and Adam. I know, I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I'm a thief. It's a knee-jerk kinda thing for me.

  
"Be careful out there, Keith. Behave and try to make friends with them. They're good people, it'd do you good." Shiro said, patting Keith on the shoulder again.

  
"And try not to kill yourself in the training room. I know you like to stay on your toes, but relax every now and then. And make sure to eat. I know you don't mean to forget, but it scares me. Take care of yourself and your team, Keith. We want you back home in one piece, okay?" Adam added, trying (and failing) to get some hair out of Keith's face.

  
"I know. You two be careful yourselves. Don't let Shiro out of your sight, okay, Adam. Don't look at me like that, Shiro, I know you'd jump at the chance to follow us. I'll be back before you know it." Keith gave them one of his small smiles that actually made him look cute.

  
"I know you will. We're counting on you, Ranger." Adam said with a fond expression.

  
"You're making your dad proud, Keith. Us, too. Don't forget that, little brother." Shiro added.

  
With that, they shared a hug. It looked like parents sending their kid off to school for the first time. They looked like a little family, really. Aw man! Don't start with the waterworks, Lance! With a lump in my throat, I headed into the wagon. Wow. Hunk made quick work of putting the kitchen to use. I could smell him cooking as soon as I found the common room. Allura and Pidge were already making themselves at home, organizing their equipment on the curved couch.

  
"Wow, that smells really good."

  
I jumped at least a foot in the air. I turned slightly to give the culprit the stink-eye, but Keith was already apologizing.

  
"Sorry! I forget how quiet I can be. You okay, buddy?" he asked, his hand hovering over my shoulder.

  
"I'm fine. But if this keeps happening, I'm getting you a bell." I said, walking toward the couch.

  
"Like a cat?"

  
". . . I guess. Why?"

  
No response. Jeez, this guy. I turned around to see if he maybe got himself stuck in the door, but he wasn't there. Oh hell, if he pulls the same crap again, I'll-- Huh? I felt something on my leg, like a poke or something. Looking down, I saw a medium-sized cat with black fur, a really bushy tail, and deep purple eyes looking up at me.

  
"Mrow."

  
"Aw! Where'd you come from, little guy? Bet you smelled the good cookin', didn't you?" I cooed, bending down to pick the little guy up, "Woah! Easy, fella, y 'don't have to wiggle so much. Calm down and--" Pidge cut me off.

  
"That's Keith." she said with a deadpan expression.

  
Huh? While I was distracted, the cat jumped from my arms and landed on the ground. As I watched, it grew and shifted until Keith was standing there, face red as his tunic and holding what looked like a tooth in his fist.

  
"Never. In my entire life. Has anyone tried to pick me up while I was a cat." he said, his voice cracking in a couple places.

  
"W-well, I didn't know it was you! Give a little warning next time! And why are you holding a tooth?" I asked, desperately trying to change the subject as my face started to match his.

  
"It's how I transform. I have to hold a piece of the animal I want to change into. Most of the time, that means draping a pelt around myself, but I can use a tooth or claw if I need to. This one was a rotten tooth I pulled from an alley cat when I was a kid. Why the hell would you immediately try to pick up a strange cat you don't know?! That's how you get your eyes clawed out!"

  
"I'm a cat person! Not my fault you tried to be a smartass."

  
"I'm a skinwalker, Lance! What do you think that means? I'm the same as you, I just need a bit of what I want to change into. You like cats?"

  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. They're awesome! I've never met a cat I didn't like. Until now."

  
"Har-har. I'll warn you next time, promise. What about other animals?"

  
We had made it to the couch by now, just sitting and chatting. Felt weird just having a pleasant conversation after a spat. Guess that's something I'm gonna need to get used to.

  
"Yeah, I love all animals. Cats are just an especially fond topic for me. Why?" I asked, propping my foot up on the small table in front of us.

  
"I have a familiar. He usually doesn't stick around unless I really need him. He's a wolf." Keith said, his hand reaching for his neck. Oh, he was wearing a necklace. I hadn't noticed.

  
"A wolf?"

  
"Yeah. Rescued him when he was a pup. Been stuck to my hip ever since. His name's Cosmo. Wanna meet him?" the last question was for everyone.

  
"Yeah! I'm always up to meet another furry friend!" I said, sitting up straight.

  
"Sure. So long as he doesn't try to chew any of my stuff to pieces." Pidge added, smiling.

  
"I suppose. Just keep him under control." Allura said, not looking all that pleased. She's not fond of animals any bigger than a mouse.

  
With a nod, Keith reached for the cord around his neck and pulled it off. Dangling on the cord was a small silver charm of some sorts. It was obviously magical, I could feel the energy coming off it. It had a pawprint pressed into the center. Closing his eyes, Keith gently brought the charm to his lips and muttered what I assume was a spell.

  
"Carissime adiutorium meum intende."

  
The charm began to glow and Keith tossed it onto the table. In a blink, a huge canine was perched on the table, sniffing all around.

  
"Hey there, bud. No danger, just wanted to introduce you to the people I'm traveling with. Everyone, this is Cosmo. Cosmo, this is Princess Allura, Pidge, Lance, and the big guy just coming in is Hunk." Keith said, gesturing to each of us in turn.

  
Hunk had just walked in and his jaw nearly hit the floor. Can't say I blame him, Cosmo was something else. Huge, dark blue fur with light blue scruff that looked so fluffy, and yellow eyes that seemed to pierce into your very soul.

  
"He's. So. Fluffy!" Hunk gushed, rushing over and burying his hands in the fluff around the wolf's head.

  
"Oh my god, he's so cute!" Pidge cooed, standing up to scratch behind Cosmo's ears.

  
"He's adorable! Keith, why didn't you tell us about him right away?!" I asked, leaning over to rub along the wolf's ribs.

  
"He's huge! Keith, get that beast off the table, this instant!" Allura all but shouted, standing with her hands on her hips.

  
"Aw, he's not hurting anything. Allura, look at him, he's so sweet!" I pleaded, wrapping my arms around Cosmo's neck. He licked my cheek.

  
"Cosmo, down." Keith said, clicking his tongue and patting his knee.

  
Cosmo immediately broke free of us and hopped down to the floor to rest his muzzle on Keith's lap. Keith smiled fondly at the wolf and stroked his head, Cosmo looking at him with palpable affection. Wow, Keith wasn't kidding when he said they were bonded. Almost made me choke up again.

  
"See? He's gentle! Allura, Cosmo's not gonna hurt anything. Just pet him." Pidge said, scooting over beside Keith to pet the wolf again.

  
"If you're not going to send him off, then keep an eye on him, will you? I don't fancy having to deal with our equipment being chewed on." Allura said, sitting back down.

  
"He wouldn't do that." Keith almost whispered.

  
Keith's smile was gone and he looked like he was trying to shrink into the cushions. Cosmo whined and licked at Keith's knuckles, obviously trying to make him feel better. I knew Allura wasn't a large animal fan, but I've never seen her outright call one a beast.

  
"Allura, calm down. He's a good boy, aren't you, Cosmo? See, he's good. Just give him a chance." Hunk said, trying to diffuse the situation.

  
"Cosmo. Bonitatem fecisti. Redi." Keith muttered, placing two fingers on Cosmo's forehead.

  
With another whine, Cosmo disappeared and the charm was back in Keith's hand. Without a word, he slipped the cord back over his head and stood up.

  
"Sorry for the trouble, Princess. I'll try not to bother you again." he said just before leaving the room. His voice was quiet, deliberately polite, but I could feel the sting behind the words.

  
We all watched him go, myself feeling empty with Cosmo gone again. But Allura looked embarrassed as the door closed behind Keith. As she should, really. As much as I like her, I have to admit; that was low. Cosmo was obviously more than just a familiar for Keith, he was a source of comfort. Family. With a sigh, Allura stood to follow Keith. Hopefully, this doesn't make things difficult from now on. Well, Hunk went back to the kitchen and Pidge went back to her stuff. I busied myself with learning about the wagon. With some help from Coran, I found a map of all the rooms. There was a pool?! Okay, how about I try out the training room.

  
Not there. . .

  
Nope. . .

  
Zip. . .

  
OH COME ON!

  
Hey, I may be a thief, but that doesn't mean I have to be good with maps! I found the infirmary, at least. This was gonna take some getting used to. But I finally made it to the training room. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who did. Keith and Allura were already there, having an intense conversation, by the looks of it. And, being the thief I was, I snuck closer to eavesdrop. Again, I know it shouldn't. But again, again, I'm a thief.

  
"Look, I'm sorry if I offended you, Keith. But you have to admit; a wolf does not belong in a civil environment." Allura said, hands on her hips.

  
"Why not?" Keith asked, his fists clenched.

  
"It's a wolf! They're monsters! One of them almost bit my father!"

  
"They are not monsters! And 'almost?' So it didn't actually bite him?"

  
"Well, no, he moved away in time. But it was too close and the beast kept growling at him until he left!"

  
"But didn't lunge."

  
"No, but--"

  
"How do you know about this? Were you with him?"

  
"No. I was too young to go travelling at the time. But he told me all about it."

  
"And what exactly did he say? Did he provoke the wolf, even accidentally? Were there pups nearby? A den?"

  
"I. . . I think he mentioned little whimpers coming from a nearby hollow under a tree. . . Why?"

  
"And what did he say about the wolf itself?"

  
"Well, he didn't blame it. He assumed there were pups in the hollow. But--"

  
"So your father, the one who was almost bitten, doesn't blame the wolf. But you still call them monsters and you weren't even there. That makes sense how?"

  
"I. . . I mean, just look at them! They're huge for one thing, and their teeth are absolutely terrifying!"

  
"So you automatically label large creatures with teeth as monsters? What about lions?"

  
"Wha- No! Lions are majestic creatures!"

  
"And wolves aren't?"

  
"No!"

  
"Why? And 'my father told me he almost got bitten because he stepped too close to a den with pups' is not a valid reason."

  
"Look, they just look terrifying, alright?"

  
"That doesn't make them monsters. The meanest-looking dog is usually the most gentle. You can't judge something or someone based on how they look or what they are."

  
"But-"

  
"And just because you had one bad experience with a wolf, doesn't mean you can label all wolves as bad. If someone with brown hair hit you, would you call all people with brown hair monsters?"

  
"Of course not!"

  
"Then you have no right to do it to wolves. Or any other living being. Just because some or a majority of a species is unpleasant, that doesn't mean all of them are. You should always hold out hope that the minority will pull through. That not everything will ultimately hurt you. For the longest time, I was terrified of Light elves. Because my dad was in the Crown army and died for Altea. For years, I was terrified that a Light elf would find me and hurt me, just like they killed my dad. Obviously, I was wrong. Thanks to Shiro and Adam, I learned to look beyond my experiences and move forward. It's something everyone should learn to do."

  
Allura stood in shock for a moment, her face looking like she just got smacked with a shovel. Keith had relaxed a bit after the rant, like he had been dying to say that for ages and finally got it out. I could see the gears turning in Allura's head, her shoulders relaxing and her hands clasping together in front of her. Then she took a deep breath and smiled.

  
"Thank you, Keith. You've taught me something in one speech that my father couldn't get through my thick skull in my nineteen years. It's something a princess has to learn if she is to lead her people into the future. I'm truly sorry, Keith." she said, gently laying her hand on Keith's shoulder.

  
"It's okay. It's just something that gets on my nerves. Hey, who knows, maybe I'm a long-lost prince from a forgotten kingdom." Keith said with a smirk.

  
Allura snorted, obviously not expecting a joke. Keith chuckled along with her, shaking his head. Okay, so we don't have to worry about those two ripping each other apart. Good, there's nothing worse than two very attractive people feuding it out with each other in a shared space. With a smile, I turned to leave. And I stepped right into a bucket of water. I yelped and hopped around, trying to shake it off, but that just splattered water all over the floor. That, in turn, made me slip and fall onto my back. Right at Keith and Allura's feet.

  
"Hey Lance." Keith said, blinking.

  
"Lance, were you here this whole time?" Allura asked, her hands at her hips again.

  
"Well, not the whole time. Took me a while to find this room. But I did hear you two make up. You two are good, right?" I asked, sitting up and yanking the bucket off of my foot.

  
"Yeah, we're good. Aren't you supposed to be a thief?" Keith asked, helping me to my feet.

  
"A very clumsy thief. How do you think he came to work at the castle? My father found him all tangled up in sheets and curtains in one of the linen closets after climbing through the window." Allura laughed.

  
"Hey! It's not my fault I didn't have any grip strength! I hadn't eaten for three days before that!" I shouted, my ears heating up yet again. I have a feeling this is going to be a regular occurrence from now on.

  
"Okay. You here to train? Care for a spar?" Keith asked, directing the question to the both of us.

  
"I'll pass for now. I'm eager to know what Hunk's putting together for dinner." Allura said, walking off with a wave.

  
"Guess I could spare a few minutes. Probably won't take long, I'm stronger than I look." I said, putting up a front. I know Keith's no string-bean.

  
"You're on."

  
With that, we headed to the center of the room. As soon as we stood on our spots, a barrier surrounded the little area and dummy weapons popped up. I grabbed a crossbow, my marksman skills were unmatched. Keith went straight for a sword. Huh. Up-close and personal type, eh? Gotta keep my distance, then. There was a little countdown and we were let loose. Keith rushed me with more speed than I was expecting, forcing me to scramble away with a lot less grace than I usually would. Still moving backwards, I took aim and fired.

  
He dodged.

  
Keith. Fucking. Dodged!

  
How the hell was he so fast?! I had to parry with my crossbow to avoid getting my head lobbed off! Okay, so that's how you wanna play? Well, game on! I lifted my leg until my foot was flat on Keith's chest and heaved as hard as I could. He was pushed back a good few feet, giving me enough room to jump back even further. Damn! He recovered quickly and rushed at me again. I jumped back again and fired off three bolts. He dodged two, but one nicked his right shoulder. He smirked and hurled his sword right at me. I almost lost my arm! I felt it nick my bicep. It ricocheted off the wall and Keith jumped for it. I fired off a bolt, but he deflected it with the blade.

  
Then gravity did it's thing.

  
Keith used his momentum to crash into me and pin me to the floor. We were both breathing hard, but his sword was at my throat. Damn. With a groan, I looked up at Keith, intending to give him a pout. Woah. His eyes were glittering, a fire behind them I've only ever seen in Shiro's when he was training. He caught me staring and smirked as much as he could while still panting like a dog. Could've sworn I saw itty-bitty little fangs there. Before I could dwell on it, though, Keith spoke.

  
"Looks like a draw." he said, his voice rough and breathless.

  
"Huh?"

  
"Dude. Look at where your crossbow is."

  
Looking between us, I saw that the end of my weapon was pressed right up against Keith's ribs. If this had been a real battle, I'd be dead for no reason. I didn't even notice. I looked back up at Keith, who sat up and back with a little bounce. He was smiling again, crossing his arms over his chest.

  
"You didn't even notice, did you?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

  
"Nuh-uh. Too quick. Need more practice." I said stupidly, blinking up at him.

  
"You'll get there. You're the only sparring partner I've had that actually landed a hit on me. Good job. And good thing these weapons aren't real. That would've hurt. You good?"

  
"Yeah. Fine. Peachy."

  
"What's wrong?"

  
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Except, oh I don't know, you plopping your full weight right on my crotch!"

  
He blinked a few times before my outburst processed. Then his face burst into a full-on flush and he scrambled up as carefully as he could. He sputtered apologies as I chewed on my lip, waiting out the pain into the numbness. I took a deep breath and got to my feet, hopping on the balls of my feet a few times to ride out the last of the tingles. Keith was still apologizing.

  
"Hey! Would you quit? It's fine. Not the first time that's happened. I have brothers and a nephew. I'm used to roughhousing, it just took me by surprise this time. You're good, buddy, you're good." I said, patting his shoulder an laughing.

  
"I'm still sorry. I wasn't even thinking about the. . . position we were in. Sorry if that made you uncomfortable. I usually don't think about that stuff when I'm sparring. I'll be more careful next time." he rattled off, his face still a tomato.

  
"Don't worry about it. Let's just get washed up and head to dinner, yeah?"

  
"Yeah."

  
Whew! Handled that pretty well, if I do say so myself. Anyway, we got ourselves reasonably cleaned up and headed back to the common room. When we found it empty, we walked into the dining room right next door. And dinner was already being served. With a whoop, I rushed to take my seat beside Hunk and started scarfing down my bowl of stew. Man, my best buddy knew how to cook! Keith was a lot less enthusiastic about sitting down next to me and taking his bowl. Before he could get a spoonful, though, Allura cleared her throat.

  
"Keith?" she called, smiling at him.

  
"Yes, Princess?" Keith asked, setting his spoon down.

  
"Do you think Cosmo would like beef stew?"

  
It took a moment, but when Keith processed what the princess was asking, his eyes got wide and his mouth quirked up a little.

  
"Really?" he asked quietly.

  
"Call him to dinner, Keith. He's as much a part of the team as you are." Allura said softly, smiling gently.

  
With a little laugh, Keith brought out the little charm and called Cosmo back out. The wolf immediately snuggled up to Keith's leg and rested his muzzle on his lap. Why must this wolf be so cute?! But Keith patted his head and set a bowl down on the floor next to his feet. Cosmo looked at him for a minute, as if asking permission. When Keith nodded, he settled down and started to eat as daintily as he could. It was almost like he understood that he needed to mind his manners. As soon as Cosmo got a bite of potato, Keith straightened back up and smiled at Allura.

  
"Thank you, Princess." he said, looking like he was just told he could keep a new pet.

  
"No, Keith. Thank you. Now eat your food. Something this good shouldn't go to waste."

  
With that, Hunk scooped a generous portion of the stew into a fresh bowl and handed it over to Keith. I could see the sparks fly as the guy took his first bite. If he had a tail, it'd be wagging. The meal from then on was comfortable, conversation flowing easily after everyone's first serving. We learned that Pidge had high blood pressure, so Hunk took note to keep salt levels low. Coran was allergic to cut grass, his throat would get all scratchy and painful. Allura didn't like clowns, wasn't afraid, just didn't like them. And, get this; Keith's lactose-intolerant. He said he can handle a glass of milk, a little ice cream, or a reasonable portion of a dairy-based dessert. But he couldn't pig-out on a bowl of pudding without feeling terrible (not related to gorging on a single food, just cramping and nausea). Which sucked for him since he loved cheesecake and chocolate. Serious sweet tooth there. But he loved cheese, too. Oh, man, he was just giving Hunk ideas on a silver platter. I know he likes to sneak healthier substitutions into our meals and this was just adding fuel to the fire.

  
Anyway, we all got fed (everyone except Keith having seconds or thirds, even Cosmo) and just drifted off to our rooms. Coran would stay up and make sure we stopped somewhere safe before heading off to sleep himself, so we didn't need to worry about rolling off a cliff or into a river. Okay, so the girls got rooms on the left hall and the guys got the right hall. Had to remember that so I don't get bashed in the face with a hair brush. Only wanna go through that once. Don't ask. Hunk's room was first, so he wished me and Keith a good night and headed inside. Mine was next. Just before I could say anything, Keith beat me to it.

  
"Thank you again, Lance." he said, giving me that little smile of his.

  
"Huh? For what?" I asked, absently ruffling Cosmo's head.

  
"For sticking up for me earlier today. In the throne room. And for Cosmo. He means a lot to me, so thank you."

  
"Oh. You don't have to thank me for that, Keith. Just know that I've got your back. We all do."

  
"And I've got yours. Might take some getting used to for me, but I think I'm gonna like being part of a team. Might be nice not being alone for once. Just tell me if I'm being weird or awkward or anything, okay? Social skills aren't my forte."

  
"Sure thing. G'night, Mullet."

  
"'Night, Lance."

  
And in my room I went. Oh. My. Lord! He's gotta stop being sincere like that, this poor old bi-heart can't take it. Okay, Lance, day one done. Time to get this under control. This isn't a vacation, we're out to save the world! I keep that mantra going as I laid down and drifted off to sleep.

  
Well, that didn't last long. . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spell Translations!  
> Carissime adiutorium meum intende = Dear friend, come to my aid  
> Bonitatem fecisti. Redi = You have done well. Return


End file.
